Posts Tagged ‘terrorists’

IDF Radio reports the police have issued a gag order on the photos and identities of the terrorists who committed this morning’s terror attack in Jerusalem — despite the photos and names of the terrorists being all over social media.

Apparently, this was part of a well planned attack and the police are demanding all information on the terrorists be blacked out at this time.

United States intelligence officials say that a video posted to the Internet showing an executioner dressed in black, standing over the severed head of a man he identified as that of American foreign aid worker Peter Kassig, is authentic.

The footage is markedly unlike that of previous beheadings by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in that the moments leading up to the execution and that of the murder itself are not seen. Clearly something took place to prevent the terrorists from showing those events; perhaps Kassig resisted — or perhaps an attack by U.S.-led coalition forces interrupted the flow of the scene.

Nevertheless, a senior American official said Sunday the government became increasingly convinced throughout the day that the video is authentic and accurately shows that Kassig was executed by an ISIS terrorist.

The camera work was amateurish as compared with that of previous videos. The footage was shot with only one camera angle and the lighting appeared harsh, blocking a clear view of the face of the executioner.

Unlike previous five minute productions in which the victims were forced to make speeches prior to their ritualized beheading, it appeared that Kassig’s two minute execution was curtailed, suggesting that ISIS could be in trouble and perhaps on the run.

One week ago, its top leadership was attacked in an air strike by American and Iraqi jets during a meeting in a secret bunker in northern Iraq. At least 10 commanders were killed and 40 others were wounded, including the British-accented executioner who appeared in this and the four prior beheading videos, dubbed by media as “Jihadi John.”

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan said earlier in the day that “if confirmed, we are appalled by the brutal murder of an innocent American aid worker, and we express our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”

Kassig, a former Army Ranger from Indianapolis, was abducted at a checkpoint in Syria more than a year ago while delivering medical supplies as part of his work for the Syrian refugee aid organization he founded in Beirut in 2012. He had served a tour of duty in Iraq in 2007, and returned to the service in 2011 as an emergency medical technician (EMT) in Libya.

In a letter smuggled out to his parents by a cell mate who escaped by ransom, Kassig wrote, “I am obviously pretty scared to die, but the hardest part is not knowing, wondering… if I should even hope at all.

“Just know I’m with you. Every stream, every lake, every field and river. In the woods and in the hills, in all the places you showed me. I love you.”

The U.S. State Dept. has decided that Israel should not destroy the home of the terrorists because doing so would be “counterproductive to the cause of peace and exacerbate an already tense situation.”

The decree was announced to reporters on Thursday by State Dept. spokeswoman Jen Psaki, who called the idea of demolishing a terrorist’s home “punitive.”

She did not suggest how to get it through the heads of terrorists that their families will pay a heavy price for murder, but the thousands of experts working in Foggy Bottom usually insists that punishment be carried out according to American standards.

Read them their rights and warn them that confessing to a crime may be held against them. Don’t harm their property because that might stir up anger among the neighboring radical jihadists.

Be nice to terrorists, and they will end up loving you.

Give them the border they demand so they can kill to eliminate all borders.

Palestinian Authority unity government chairman Mahmoud Abbas – or “Abu Mazen,” the Fatah terrorist name he uses among Arabs – today (Tuesday Nov. 11, 2014) declared war on the State of Israel.

Claiming that Israel had launched the horrific Arab violence that is being perpetrated against Israelis across the country, Abbas vowed to seize Israel’s holiest city for the PA.

“Israel is leading us into a religious war,” he told thousands of Arabs in the PA capital of Ramallah. Abbas spoke at a ceremony at the Muqata, the PA government seat, to mark 10 years since the death of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) chairman Yasir Arafat.

“Jerusalem will be solely Palestinian,” Abbas vowed.

While Abbas was promising supporters in Samaria that he would lead them to victory in seizing Israel’s capital for their own, PA Arabs further south were clashing with IDF soldiers and Israel’s Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon was completing a Gush Etzion brigade assessment.

“We are in the midst of an escalation,” Ya’alon told the troops. “We will take a firm hand to stop this wave of violence, including more widespread arrests than in the past, and the demolition of the homes of terrorists.

“The fate of any terrorist who raises his hand with a knife, or who uses a car to run people over, is death,” Ya’alon declared.

To the PA leadership, the defense minister added, “The Palestinian Authority and the entities working on the ground to prevent escalation are conducting coordination meetings with us. That is happening despite the rhetoric, calling for escalation, by the heads of the Palestinian Authority.”

Meanwhile, scores of Arabs hurled rocks and firebombs (Molotov cocktails) at Israeli soldiers in a violent riot at the Judean Arab village of El Aroub, a burgeoning community that once was a refugee camp. Located close to Highway 60, it is situated close to the Gush Etzion junction and slightly south of Bethlehem.

IDF soldiers responded to the violence with riot control measures and when it became necessary, opened fire in self-defense. A 21-year-old PA Arab was allegedly shot and killed in the melee.

At least 150 PA Arabs were also clashing with IDF soldiers Tuesday in an area south of Hebron, and close to the Jewish community of Negohot.

Security forces were using riot dispersal measures to control the mob and bring the incident to an end without injuries. By 3pm there were no reports of casualties.

Israel’s governing cabinet was set to meet in emergency session Tuesday afternoon in light of the escalation in violence around the country.

Lawmakers are set to vote today (Thursday, Nov. 6) on a new law to revoke Israeli citizenship of a convicted terrorist, anyone who helped him or her, and any of their relatives.

The bill, submitted by Yisrael Beytenu Knesset member Shimon Ohayon, allows but does not require the Interior Minister to make the final decision about who will lose their citizenship.

Those who stand to lose their citizenship will have the right to offer a defense before their rights are revoked.

“The fight against terrorism must be comprehensive and extensive,” Ohayon told journalists.

Benefits of citizenship in Israel include monthly stipends for children’s support from the National Insurance Institute, for instance, as well as other government financial support.

Taking away such benefits, said Ohayon, would be one way to create an alternative to the current situation in which terrorists enjoy the privileges granted to citizens by the State of Israel.

“It is absurd that someone can continue to benefit from the rights of an Israeli citizen while they want to harm or kill us. Nothing gets in their way because they are free to move around anywhere in the country – and this leads Israeli citizens to lose their basic sense of security,” Ohayon observed.

Border Police blocked two Palestinian Authority Arab terrorists in Samaria from carrying out a terrorist attack in pre-1967 Israel on Thursday.

The two would-be attackers were hiding three pipe bombs, several knives and a gun while trying to pass through a checkpoint near the Tapuach Junction.

Police officers became suspicious of the pair, both in their twenties, when one seemed nervous about his bag.

“Two young Palestinians arrived at the bus stop near the Tapuach checkpoint, and I notified two officers who were stationed nearby. The officers approached the suspects in order to examine them, and they initially said they were headed to Ramallah. At that point, one of the suspects pulled out a gun and directed it towards one of the officers,” checkpoint commander First Sgt. Almog Ohana told Hebrew-language newspaper Yediot Acharanot.

In response, a Border Police officer released the safety catch on her weapon while a second officer knocked the gun from the terrorist’s hands.

One of the suspects had refused to open a black backpack he was carrying. The officers noticed there were wires sticking out of the bag and immediately cleared the area.

The officers summoned the bomb squad to neutralize the explosives, and transferred the two suspects to security personnel for further interrogation.

Security in and around Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem has been tightened for the upcoming Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur and the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Adha (Festival of the Sacrifice.)

The crossings into pre-1967 Israel from the Palestinian Authority will be closed effective midnight Thursday night until midnight Saturday night and security will be raised in communities and synagogues around Israel.

Knesset Speaker Ze’ev Elkin declared Tuesday morning that Israel should not release the bodies of the Hamas terrorists who murdered three Israeli teens in Gush Etzion on June 12.

Marwan Kawasme (left) and Amar Abu Aisha, both residents of Hebron, were killed late Monday night (Sept. 22, 2014) in an exchange of gunfire.

IDF troops were attempting to arrest the pair when they opened fire at the soldiers. The two had been charged in absentia with the murder.

Elkin said the two bodies should not be released to Hamas or to their families until the bodies of the two IDF soldiers currently being held by Hamas in Gaza are returned to their families.

“The lethal abduction and murder attack prompted Operation Brother’s Keeper, during which security forces located the bodies of the victims and succeeded in striking and severely impairing the Hamas terrorist organization in the region, said IDF Spokesperson Lt. Col. Peter Lerner.

“We were determined in bringing the ruthless murderers of Gilad (Sha’ar), Eyal (Yifrach) and Naftali (Frenkel) to justice. The efforts have been continuous and extensive. Today’s successful mission brings the long-term search to an end, and the perpetrators of the crime no longer pose a threat to Israeli civilians.”